as he was bruised,
Railsford was able to pronounce that no bones were broken, which greatly
relieved both the boys.

The master helped the wounded warrior to undress, and then assisted him
up to the dormitory, where, after carefully tucking him up, and advising
Dig to turn in too, he left him and returned to his room.

His impulse was immediately to summon Felgate, and mete out to him
exemplary chastisement for his dastardly act. But on second thoughts he
remembered that he was, or rather he would be to-morrow, no longer
master of the house. Besides, much as the chastisement might have
relieved his own feelings, it would leave the house and everyone in it
in much the same position as heretofore.

Putting everything together, he decided that his last official act
should be to report the matter to the doctor next morning, and leave him
to deal with it.

Having come to which conclusion, he strapped up his portmanteau, and
sent an order to Jason for his cab to-morrow.

He was meditating an early retirement to bed, when a knock sounded at
the door, and the three prefects entered.

It seemed a long while since their first embarrassed meeting in that
same room at the beginning of last term. Much had happened since then.
The house had gone down into the depths and risen to the heights. There
had come disgrace and glory, defeat and victory. The ranks of the
prefects themselves had been broken, and the master himself had ended
his brief career amongst his boys. But as great a change as any had
been the growing respect and sympathy between Railsford and his head
boys.

It was long since he had learned the secret that sympathy is the golden
key to a boy's heart. As long as he tried to do without it, sitting on
his high horse, and regarding his pupils as mere things to be taught and
ordered and punished, he had failed. But from the moment he had seized
the golden opportunity presented by the misfortune of the house to throw
in his lot with it, and make his interests and ambitions those of his
boys, he had gained a hold which no other influence could have given
him.

His prefects had led the way in the reaction which had set in in his
favour, and perfect confidence bound them all together in no common
bond.

"Do you mind our disturbing you, sir?" said Ainger. "We didn't want you
to go without our telling you how awfully sorry we are. We don't know
what will become of the house."

"I'm not sure that I much car